Carbonizing furnace retort



CARBONIZING FURNACE RETORT.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3, I9

C. H. SMITH.

CARBONIZING FURNACE RETOR'T. APPLlcATIoN FILED APn.3.'1918.

Patented Mar. 14, i922.

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Br I M /f/5 A TTOR/VEYS C. H. SMITH.

CARBNIZING FUHNACE RETORT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3. I9I8.

1,409,597. Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

C. H. SMITH.

CARBONIZING FURNACE HETORT.

APPLICATION FILED APII.3. 1918.

1,409,597. Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

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CARBDNIZING FURNACE RETOR'T.

APPLICATION FILED APII. 3, 1918.

1 ,409,597, Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

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/1//5 A TURA/EVS.

C. H. SMITH.

CARBONIZING FURNACE RETURT.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3. I9I8.

1,409,597. Patented Mar. 14,A 1922.

SSHEETs-SHEETI.

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CARBONIZING FURNACE RETOHT.

APPLICATloN FILED Ams. 1918.

1,409,597. Patented Mar. 14, 1922 BSHEETShSHEET 8.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HOWARD SMITH, 0F SHORT HILLS, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INTER- NATIONAL COAL PRODUCTS CORPORATION, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA., A COR- PORATION 0F VIRGINIA.

CARBONIZING FURINACE RETORT.

Application filed April 3,

fo all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HOWARD SMrrH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Short Hills, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carbonizin Furnace Retorts, of which the following 1s a specification.

The invention relates to a furnace having a retortI or retorts for carbonizing briquets therein, and an object of the invent-ion is to construct a furnace wherein a large number of briquets can be readily and economically carbonized so as to commercially produce the desired resulting briquets.

The invention is particularly directed to a furnace for the carbonizing of briquets, made as from raw coal or from a partially carbonized residue and which coal or partially carbonized coal residue has admixed therewith binding material, such as pitch, and which binding -material ensures or renders possible firm, coherent briquet structures, when raw briquets made from said mixture are carbonized at sufficientlyhigh temperatures and for a. sufficient length of time.

In my Patent Number 1,276,429, granted August 20, 1918, entitled Briquets and method of making the same, I have described a manner in which strong, coherent,

free-burning, smokeless briquets can be produced by partially carbonizing a high volatile coal, by adding to the partially carbonized coal a proper mixture of binding material, such as pitch, by forming the resultin mixture into briquets, and by subsequent y carbonizing the raw briquets thus formed.

In my Patent No. 1,334,180 granted March 16, 1920, entitled Method of manufacturing briquets, I have described a manner in which coals of a non-caking type can be formed into strong, coherent, free-burning, smokeless briquets by first mixing with the non-caking coal, When in finel divided form, a proper admixture containing caking coal and a binding material, such as pitch,

by forming the resulting mixture into the raw briquets and by carbonizing the raw briquets thus formed at a sufficiently high temperature and for a. sufficient length of time.

The present invention `is particularly di- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

191s. serial No. 226,410.

'referred to as an oven but what is in fact an enclosed carbonizing retort, or retorts, from which the vaporous and aseous products that are given off during t e carbonization are conducted to any suitable storage means andmade available forfuture use.

4The carbonizing furnace may therefore be properly referred to as a furnace retort but it is more frequently referred to as an inclined carbonizing furnace since the fioors of the ovens or retorts that provide the carbonizing compartments or carbonizing spaces slope downwardly from the charging end of the furnace toward the discharging end thereof. The carbonizing compartments or carbonizing spaces are preferably arranged in sets. The carbonizing compart- Aments or spaces in each set are vertically arranged and the construction which defines the carbonizing compartments or spaces is such that the member or part which provides the ioor of one carbonizing compartment or space becomes or provides the roof of the carbonizing compartment or space immediately below it. On each side of the tier of vertically arranged carbonizin compartments there is located a vertical y arranged tier of combustion chambers or flues which have suitably controlled means whereby the heat conditions can be readily controlled Within each combustion chamber or flue and by this construction each carbonizing oven and each articular portion thereof is under control. rll)`he furnace is also preferably provided With a. recuperator, which is a means for heating the incoming air, that is employed or required to support combustion that takes place in the combustion chamber of the furnace from the hot ases leaving the furnace. The recuperator is preferably of. masonry, to Wit, brick, constructed so as to provide alternately arranged series of air ducts or conduits andwaste gas ducts or conduits. 4With such a. construct-ion there is a ready interchange or transference of heat fron the hot gases to the cold incoming air through the masonry walls that define the cupera-tor.

The invention relates to the features above referred to as well as to other features which are hereinafter clearly described and fully set forth in the appended claims.

As illustrating a specic embodiment of the inclined carbonizing furnace or furnace retort wherein the invention can be and is realized reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which drawings,

Figure l is a vertical view of the charging end of the inclined carbonizing furnace.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken adjacent to the charging end of the inclined carbonizing furnace. This iigure is a view of the furnace taken on the plane indicated by the line 2 2 of Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a vertical view of the charging end of the inclined carbonizing furnace.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken adjacent to the discharging end of the inclined carbonizing furnace. This figure is a view of the furnace taken as on the plane indicated by the line 4 4 of Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the carbonizing retort of the furnace and also through a portion of the recuperator and particularly that portion of the recuperator which defines the air ducts, conduits or passageways through which the air that is employed to support the combustion travels prior to being delivered where combustion takes place. This Figure 5 is a view taken as on the plane indicated by the line 5 5 of Figures 1, 2, 3 4, 8 or 9.

Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view showing'the arrangement of the heating fiues of the combustion chambers which are arranged along the walls which define the sides of the carbonizing chambers; in other words, along the side walls of the carbonizing chambers. In this View there are also shown the ducts, conduits or passageways through which the products of combustion, to wit, the spent gases, pass after leaving the combustion flues or chambers and when on their way to the atmosphere. It is from the waste gases passing through the conduits that the heat is -derived for preheating the air which is employed to support the combustion as heretofore indicated. This Figure 6 is a view of the furnace` taken as on the pla-ne indicated by the .broken line 6 6 6 of Figures 1, 2, 3

or'4; or, as on thel plane indicated by the line 6 6 of Figure 7 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a view looking downwardly upon a section of the furnace. In this figure that portion through each carbonizing chamber is a view taken as on the plane indicated by the broken line 7- m 7 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows, while that portion through each combustion Hue or chamber is a view taken as on the plane indicated by the broken line 7 7m 7 7 of Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken as on the plane indicated by the line 8 8 of Figure or Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken as on the plane indicated by the line 9 9 of Figures 4, 5 or 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure l0 is a vertical sectional view taken :as on the plane indicated by the line 10-10 of Figure 5 or Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrows. In other words, Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view showing in the upper portion thereof the arrangementl of the carbonizing chambers and the combustion chambers or flues arranged alongside of the carbonizing chambers to which they correspond and all together constitute the carbonizing portions of the furnace, while below in the lower portion of the figure there are shown alternate air and waste gas ducts which are located in what constitutes the recuperator. In F igure'7 and also in Figure 10 the parts areshown on a somewhat larger scale thanin the other figures.

Figure 1l is a diagrammatic cross-section 100 through the apparat-us., illustrating the method and means employed for charging and discharging the retorts. y

The inclined carbonizing furnate has four vertically extending walls, to wit, the transversely and vertically extending wall l at the charging end of the furnace, the transversely and vertically extending wall 2 at the discharging end of thefurnace, the longitudinally and vertically extending main 110 wall 3 at the right hand side of the furnace, and the longitudinally and vertically extending main wall 4 at the left hand side of thefurnace. The inclined furnace also has a roof 5 that extends from end wall to 115 endwall and from side wall to side wall. This' roof slopes downwardly from the charging end of the furnace to the dischargig end thereof; in other words, a longitudinal section of the furnace will show the roof 12'0 is declined from the charging end of the furnace. A transverse section of the furnace will show that the roof extends horizontally from one main side Wall to the other. The carbonizing portion of the furnace is desig- 125 iated by 6 and the recuperator is designated by 7 The carbonizing portion 6 and the re'- cuperator 7 are separated by the main floor member or main intermediate member 8 which slopes downwardly from the charging 130 o`f the furnace, it will be observed that there are three sets of carbonizing chambers or retortseach designated by 6x and each carvbonizingl chamber or retort is subdivided by means of shelves or partitions, as 6, into carbonizing compartments or carbonizing spaces 6b. The briquets to be carbonized can be insertedinto the several carbonizing chambers by opening the doors 9, or by charging through the gas outlet header 10- when acover or door 11 upon the latter has been removed. In other words, each inclined carbonizing chamber or retort is charged by opening the upper end and the chamber or retort is-closed when the charging is completed; it, therefore, remains closed while a carbonizing' operation isin progress.

It will be understood that when a car- #bonizing operation is being performed these chambers or retorts are air tight; or, in other words, are sealed whereby no air can enter the interior of the retorts. The discharge end of each carbonizing chamber or-retort during the carbonizing operation is closedor sealed by doors, 12, which can be opened to permit a discharge or emptying of the carbonizing 4chamber of the contents-to wit, the carbonized briquets as they are termedwhen a carbonizing operation has been completed. The openmg of the doors 12 whereby the carbbnized briquets are discharged and the carbonizing chamber is emptied may .be referred to as the opening of the lower end of the retort. A header 10 is provided for each carbonizing chamber or retort 6x and the vaporous andgaseous products evolved during the carbonlzation pass from the retort 6x through header 10, pipe 13,y

cross-fitting 14,. hand-controlled valve 15 and pipe 16 into hydraulic main 17 which is common in apparatus for making and obtaining coal gas products. The side walls of each set of carbonizing chambers or retorts 6x are defined by the vertically and longitudinally .extending w ills 6 which may be,

referred to as the vertically and longitudinally extending intermediate walls since they are located intermediate the main side walls 3 and 4. These intermediate walls serve as means whereby heat is transferred by conduction from the heating fiues hereinafter referred to to the interior of the carbonizing chamber. Each of these vertically and lon-'- gitudinally extending intermediate walls extends the full length 0f the furnace from the end wall at the charging end of the furnace to the end wall at the discharging end. Each oflthese intermediate walls also extends the full distance'from the main floor member or main intermediate member 8 to the roof 5.

It will hereinafter be seen that the main floor member or main intermediate member 8 is suitably supported by the recuperator construction which will vbe hereinafter described more in detail. The vertically and longitudinally extending intermediate walls 6c serve to give vertical support to the c'en- 'tral longitudinal portion of the main roof 5 to which they extend. These vertically and longitudinally extending intermediate walls 6.receive proper lateral support as will hereinafter appear (see partlcularly Figure 10) whereby they will be properly maintained in place as the furnace is used, and whereby they can also perform the function of supporting the main roof 5, as above` pointed out. A series of combustion'iues or heating flues-the combustion flues in each series constituting collectively a combustion chamber-is arranged along the side of each carbonizing chamber 6". Each of these series of combustion flues or heating fluesthe combustion chamber-is designated by 18X or 18y (see particularly Figure 10). That series located between the vertically and longitudinally extending main wall of the furnace and the carbonizing chamber or retort nearest to said wall is designated by 18", while the series located/ between adjacent carbonizing retorts, or in other words,

xbetween adjacent longitudinally and Vertically extending intermediate walls of adja- `cent retorts is designated by 18Y. The series 18x is similar to 18y with the exception that the series 18x is somewhat smaller than the series 18y because of the necessity of the latter being common to two sets of chambers or retorts. Each heat-ing flue of the series 18X is designated by .18u and each heating flue of the series 18y is designated by 18. The lues 18x are separated by partitions 18bx while the flues 18ay are separated by partitions 1'8. These fines or partitions are sometimes referred to as heating flue partitions or as combustion flue partitions.

Fuel, preferably gas, is supplied to the interior of the heating flues through valvecontrolled pipes 19 and this fuel is mixed with heated air which is delivered from the passageways 18cx and 18W-leadingr from the recuperator 7-through openings' 18x and 18". The openings 18dx are controlled as by sliding dampers'18ex and the openings 18dy are controlled as byv slidingl dampers 18. The dampers can/loe` positioned by the operator tocontrol the supply of airato'the interior' v of each combustion or heating;I Hue 1li-'ora 18" as the case may be. It will therefore be seen that as the gas supply is a valve-controlled supply and as the air supply is under thecontrol of the operator the amount of heat within .the combustion flue is readily controllable at the intake end thereof) Each combust-ion flue however is controlled at its discharge end whereby the flow of the burned or burning gases from the combustion chamber can be regulated. This control is by means of the dampers 18fx and 18ry which control the passageways, as 18g* and 18', that open into passageways or conduits-18hx and 18"y leading to the recuperator. It will therefore be seen-that the flow of the burning or spent gases from each heating iiue is under the control of the operator. In this way the control of the heat within each combustion chamber and the consequent control of all of the heat supply to each portion of the carbonizing chambers or retorts is attainable.

An inspection of Figure 10 when taken in conjunction with Figure 6 will make it clear that the partitions 18"* serve not only to separate the combustion flues 18* but also serve to convey lateral support to the vertically and longitudinally extending wall 6c from a vertically and longitudinally extending main side wall as 3 or 4, as the case may be. The 'artitions 18by extend parallel to the partitions 18"*; they also extend from the charging .end of the furnace to the discharging end thereof, as do the partitions 18"". Bearing'this in mind and from an inspection of Figure 10 it will be readily observed that the partitions 18"y serve to connect and laterally support adjacent vertically and longitudinally extending walls 6c of adjacent carbonizing chambers or retorts 6*.

It'will also be remembered that the shelves or partitions 6al 'that are within the carbonizin chambers or retorts 6* serve to connect an 'in this way render lateral support to the 'vertically and longitudinally extending walls 6c of the retort in which they are located, and an inspection of Figure 10, as has been heretofore pointed out, will make it clear that each vertically and longitudinally extending wall 6c is, by means of these partitions such as 18"", 6aL and 18", suitably laterally braced. .A further inspection of Figure 10, however, will make it clear that the joints, so to speak, are broken. In other-words, from this figure it will be seen that the shelves or partitions 6a are not in alinement with a set of partitions, as 18"* and 18W. I

In the heating of briquets 1n the carbonizying chambers it is desirable to have full effective heat, as in cornersv 6,and therefore the heating iues are' arranged so as to' be opposite the point of juncture 0f the shelves or dpartitions 6"L and the vertically and longitu nally extending intermediate walls 6".

I n other words,'each shelf or partition is opposite combustion fiues adjacent thereto. The several partitions, to wit, the partitions 18"* and 18"y between the combustion flues or chambers and also the shelves or partitions 6 between the carbonizing compartments or other. These partitions slope downwardly and rearwardly. 7The partitionsl"X and 18"y between the combustion flues extend the entire length from the wall at the charg` |spaces 6" and substantially parallel with each one above the other. and because of the common receiving space just referred to, it will be manifest that the carbonizing compartments or spaces 6" ma be referred to as communicating carbonlzing compartments arranged one above the other and due to this arrangement a single gas outlet header as 10 can be relied upon for the passage of vapors and gases given oli from the several carbonizing compartments 6" in each carboniamg chamber as the furnace retort is functionmg.

Referring now to the recuperator portion of the furnace .a'nd tracing first the path of |the het-spent gases leaving ,the heating flues, it will be remembered that the gases first pass through the damper controlledopenings 18gx and 18' into and downwardly through the passageways or conduits 18"* and 18". From the passageway 18"*-or 18W-as the case may be, the gases take a sinuous path through the conduits or passageways 20a to 20m inclusive that are prof vvided in the masonry of the recuperator.

the discharging end of the furnace, terminating however Short ofthe sloping main floor or said last mentioned wall. The rest` of the partitions lextend from the inclined sloping main floor construction or from the Wall at the discharging end of the furnace toward the wall aty the charging end thereof but terminate short of the latter. The vertically extending side walls that proyide the sides of the passageways through which the 'ingair passes.

spent gases travel also provide the sides bf the passageways through which the incom- The vertically extending Walls just referred to are designated by 21. These walls 21 extend vertically and longitudiihally of the furnace kfor the full length thereof, from end wallsto end wall, and they may be referred to asl longitudinally and vertically extending Walls of the recuperator. These walls 21 also extend from the foundation upon which the furnace retort as a whole is placed up to the underside of the inclined main iloor member or main intermediate member 8. These Wallis, therefore, serve to properly support the central longitudinal portions of the inclined main floor member 8; Incoming air enters the openings 22 and-flows in a sinuous path through the passageways designated by 22a to 22k inclusive and finally enters -the horizontally and transversely extending passageway or header opening 23, as it may bev called.. From this` header opening 23 the heated air can pass through openings 24 controlledby dampers 24aL intothe passageways or conduits 18cx or 18W' from whence they pass from damper controlled openings 18dx or 18, as the case may be, into the combustion `iiues, as 18X and lSY.

vao

An inspection of the-drawingswill make `it clear that the incoming cold air is first op osite the cooler vertically extending wa ls along which the cooled or lpartially spent gases are traveling and that the air as it is gradually heated moves along to the hotter zones where the hottest spent gases can be availed of to still further heatthe air to the maximum temperature.

The masonry construction which provides the air ducts, conduits'or passageways, as they may be called, resembles in many respects the masonry construction which prolvides the waste gas conduits or passageways,

as will be malifest from a comparison of Figures 5 and Figure 5, however, which A shows the air ducts, clearly illustrates a construction which is employed to enable the passing of the heated air to the end o f the furnace where the initial combustion takes place. This therefore requires conduits, such as 22, 22j and 22k that extend from one end of the furnace to the other end and whichare made possible by the emplo ment of a zigzag partition 25 which as a W ole is paralle'l with the inclined sloping main floor 8 but which is spaced from the latter. The passageways 22, 22h, etc., are defined by the partitions 22m to 22t inclusive. A part of these partitions extend from the vertically and transversely extending wall at ythe charging end of the furnace toward the zigzag partition 25, or the vertically and transversely extending wall at the discharging end of the furnace, and they terminate short 'of either the zigzag partition or the wall at the discharging end of the furnace. The rest of the partitions extend from the zigzag partition 25 toward the wall at the charging end of the furnace but terminate short of the latter. Passageways through which the air being heated and also through which the waste-gasespas s ,are unobstructed so as to permit a ready How of air or gases through the respective air d-ucts or gas ducts, as the case may be. The partitions 20, 20, 20", etc. and the partitions 22m, 22, etc. extend horizontally and transversely, and they extend from one vertically extending intermediate wall 21 of the recuperator to the adjacent vertically extending Wall 21, or to the vertically extending main walls 3 or 4, as the case may be, and an inspection of Figures 2 and 10 will make it clear that the vertically extending intermediate walls 21 of the recuperator are well braced against lateral disruption.

The furnace above described is particularly adapted for the carbonizing of raw briquets thatcontain volatile binding material, such Ias pitch. One form of rbriquets which I have treated in thisl furnace is made in the following manner:

I have taken a partially carbonized coal which Was formed by distilling a raw coal having a thirty-six per cent (36%) volatile content and a specific gravity of 1.3 at temperatures of between 800 degrees F. to 1200 degrees F.. until there was produced a uniform carbonized residue-fthe partially distilled coalhavinga volatile content of approximately ten per cent (10%) and which residue had an apparent specific gravity of eight-tenths (0.8). This residue or partially carbonized coal'I have crushed and intimately mixed with it approximately ten per cent (10%) of coal tar pitch and iiuxed and formed the resultin mixture into raw briquets by pressure. ach of these raw briquets had for example approximately ifteen and one-half per cent (154%) volatile. It will here be remarked that when the raw briquets contained partially carbonized coal and had been made according to the process outlined in my Patent No. 1,276,429 such raw briquets contained approximately between eleven per cent (11%) to seventeen per cent (17%) hydrocarbon volatile matter; the percentage of volatile matter was relied upon to ensure or enable the development of and had many of the characteristics of anthracite coal. The resulting carbonized briquets were of the same shape as but smaller in volume than the briquets originally charged.

In the carbonizing of briquets having a binding material such as pitch there will be va disrupting or rupturing of the briquets duringl the carbonizin operation, if the briquets are piled too high upon each other. In the carbonizing of briquets having pitch as a binding material there is a perlod wherein the pitchis in amore or less -plastic or molasses-like condition and when in this condition it does not have suflicient tensile strength to'hold the solid coal particles of the briquet together, -if the brlquets are heavily loaded.

In the present type of furnace the heating of the briquets is carried out under such conditions that the pitch will remain soft for only a short period of time at the most. The heat is suiliciently high to eiect an early conversion irom this soft or plastic condition into a conditin where the solid coal particles are cemented or bound together. In order to avoid the encountering of the objections just referred to, and which are liable to take lace unless the heating is properly carried) out, and also in order to effect a quick conversion .of the binding material into a condition Where it will cement or hold the solid coal particles of the briquet together, each carbonizing chamber or retort 6x lis subdivided'or provided with the several .carbonizing compartments or spaces 6. I

An important problem in the development of this furnace has been to obtain a relatively high capacity and this has been realized by the employment of the superposedl carbonizing compartments or spaces which ermitsa relatively deep pile, so to speak, of

briquets in any one carbonizing chamber, but the shelves or partitions 6a break up the load so that only a relatively small pressure can be exerted against any onebriquet. In this way there is little likelihood of the bri- -`becoming mutilated or ruptured. ,h e slopeof the several doors-Which are VMounted upon the Iplatform provided by the main floor member 8 and the several shelves or partitions a-issuch that there is a slight tendency for the `briquets to slide from the charging end of the furnace tothe discharging end thereof and, consequently, upon the doors at the discharglng end of the furnace being opened the contents of the retort can be readily dis4 charged. This slope is also availed of in the charging of the furnace since it is necessary that the raw briquets fed through the charging openings will readily find their proper location in the carbonizing compartments or spaces for the carbonizing operation.

Atthe temperatures herein mentioned, to

wit, 1850 degrees F. substantially all ofthe volatile content remaining inthe partially carbonized coal and that in the pitch binding material-with the exception of the two and one-half per cent (25%) volatile matter or whatever percentage ofthe volatile matter be left in the resulting briquet-is eliminated from the raw briquets by the carbonizing operation andthis volatile can be recovered from the hydraulic main-either in gaseous or liquid form-tp which it is conducted by the piping heretofore described. The temperatures at which the carbonizing operation 1s performed may be varied in fact may run as low as 1400 degrees or may run as high as 2250 degrees F. or thereabo-uts, and the length of time forl the carbonizing operation will ofcourse depend upon the `character and size of the raw briquets charged 'to the 'furnace, upon the -hest to vwhichthey are subjected when in the carbonizing retorts and upon the volatile content in the final carboni'zed briquet. The temperature, however, should be enough to develop the cementing qualities which are attained by the useof the pitch binding material or whatever other binding material may be employed for this purpose. j f

'It is preferred to charge'the furnace and discharge same by means of the apparatus illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 11. i 26 is a charg- 1ng devlce comprising a car 27 running along rails 28 parallel with the charging end of the furnace. This car is divided into compartments-28a, 28h, 28C and 28d which contaln enough raw briquets to properly fill each carbonizing compartment, and there is provided for each compartment 28a, 28", 28c and'28d a movable or telescoping chute 29 which bridgesthe space between the car 27 and the carbonizing compartments and serves to conduct the raw briquets as from closed, `and after the treatment has been effected to the desired extent the door 12 is opened to permit the charge containedwithin `the retort in question to pass into the dump-car 30 mounted on rails 31 parallel to the discharging end of the retort.

- It will be noted that the briquets are supported upon inclined surfaces during the carbonizing operation, and that the doors at the bottoms of the carbonizing compartments serve to retain the charges of briquets during the carbonizing period.

While I have adescribed particularly the manufacture of carbonized briquets made from partially carbonized coal, still it will be understood that the furnace is adaptable for use in the manufacture of briquets from raw coal as a base material or even from coke where a binding material, such as pitch or other hydrocarbon binder, is employed.

The furnace shown in the drawings is illustrated las a single furnace. It will be manifest, however, that this furnace may become one of al battery of furnaces and it will also be noted that each main side wall of the furnace might become and be considered as a side wall common to two furnaces.` It might even be considered as a lmain side wall for either furnace -on each side thereof, or it might be considered in effect an intermediate wall.

The improvements herein set forth are not limited to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described for they may be embodied in various forms and modifieations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A briquet carbonizing furnace of the class described having vertically and transversely extending walls at the charging and discharging ends thereof, vertically and longitudinally extending main side walls, a main roof and a main floor 'member each extending longitudinally from the wall at t-he charging end to thewall at the dis-I charging end and from one main side wall to the other main side wall, intermediate walls arranged in sets and extending vertically from the main floor member to the main roof member, and also longitudinally from one end wall to the other, providing between the intermediate walls of each set a carbonizing chamber, spaced transverse partitions extending fromrthe intermediate wall of one set to the adjacent intermediate wall of the adjacent set whereby the space between the adjacent sets is subdivided into combustion fines, spaced transverse partitions extending from theoutermost intermediate wall to the main side wall adjacent thereto whereby the space between the outermostintermediate wall and its adjacent side wall is subdivided into combustion ues, and means for supplying heat to said divide the said chamber into carbonizing.

compartments Or'spaces, and upon which shelf or shelves briquets are supported while being carbonized. A

2. A carbonizing furnace comprising in combination longitudinally and vertically lextendingmain side walls, transversely and vertically extending end walls connecting said main side walls, a main 'roof and a main floor member extending from one main side wall to the other, vertically and longitudinally extending intermediate walls each of which provides a side wall for a carbonizing chamber, said furnace being characterized by having transverse partitions in each carbonizing chamber` extending from one wall of the chamber to the opposite wall, and dividing each chamber into a series of vertically arranged carbonizing compartments and also by having transverse heating flue partitions, some of the transverse heating flue partitions being -between each vertically extending main side wall on the one hand and the intermediate wall adj acent thereto on the other, and other transverse heating flue partitions are between each side wall of' each carbonizing chamber and the side wall of the adjacent carbonizing chamber.

3. In a briquet carbonizing furnace of the class described having vertically and transversely extending walls at the charging and discharging ends thereof, spaced vertically extending main side walls extending longitudinally from one end wall to the other, a main roof and a main fioor member sloping downwardly toward the wall at the dis` charging end, intermediate walls arranged in sets and extending vertically from the main fioor member tothe main roof member and from one end wall to the other to provide between the intermediate walls of each set a carbonizing chamber, partitions between intermediate walls of adjacent, sets and between each outer intermediate wall and the main side. wall adjacent thereto whereby the space at the outside of each intermediate wall of each intermediate set is subdivided into combustion flues, and means for supplying heat to said combustion flues, said furnace being characterized by having one or more shelves in each carbonizing chamber sloping downwardly toward the discharging end of the furnace and dividing the carbonizing chamber into communicating carbonizing compartments arranged one above the other.

4. A carbonizing furnace of the class described comprising in combination vertically j the spaced from each other and arranged in setsto provide carbonizing chambers between the walls of each set, said furnace being characterized by having one or more shelves in each chamber slop-ing downwardly toward the discharging end of the furnace and extending transversely and horizontally from one intermediate Wall to the companion in- :termediate wall, and by having heating lues arranged one above the other and along the outside of each intermediate wall, the sides of each of which lues are defined either by an inner portion of the main side wall and an outer portion of the intermediate wall adjacent the side wall, or by the outer portions of adjacent intermediate walls of adjacent sets, the roof of each of which fines is defined either by an under side portion of the main roof or by a partition between the fines, the bottom of each of which lues kis defined either by an upper portion of the mairiii floor member or by a partition between ues.

5. A furnace for carbonizing briquets comprising in combination longitudinally and vertically extending main side walls, transverselyl and vertically extending end walls connecting said main side walls, a roof member and a main `floor member extendin from one side Wall to the other,

verticallyv "and longitudinally extending intermediate walls" each of w ch provides a .sideiwall for a carbonizing chamber, parti- ;tions or shelves-in each carbonizing chamfberextending from one wall of the chamber to the opposite wall, and dividing each chamber into a series of vertically arranged carbonizing compartments, Yheatlng due partitions betw'een each vertically extending main side wall on the one hand and the intermediate l--wall ad'acent thereto on the other, 4and a series o heating flue partitions extending from each side wall of each carbonizing chamber to the side wall of the adjacent carbonizing chamber, the construction being such that each partition or shelf is located opposite lthe flues adjacent thereto.

6. A furnace for carbonizing briquets comprising in combination longitudinally and vertically extending main side walls, transversely and l vertically extending end `walls, a main roof member and a main floor member extending horizontally from one side wall to the other and inclined downwardly from the end wall at the charging end of the furnace to the end wall at the Aother end of the furnace, Iandvertically and longitudinally extending intermediate walls each of which provides a side Wall for a car-` bonizing chamber, said furnace being characterized by having partitions in each carbonizing chamber extendingfrom one wall of the chamber to the opposite wall and dividing each chamber into a series of vertically arranged carbonizing compartments by having a set of heating flue partitions between each vertically extbndiglglmain side wall on the one hand and the intermediate w'all adjacent thereto on the other, and by having other sets of heating flue partitions, the partitions being so arranged that. the partltions constituting each s et extend from an intermediate wall for each carbonizing chamber to the intermediate wall for thev adjacent carbonizing chamber, the construction of the intermediate walls being such -that heat is transferred by conduction from the heating flue to the interior of the carbonizing chamber.

7. A furnace for carbonizing briquets comprising in combination longitudinally and vertically extending main side walls, transversely and vertically extending end walls connecting said side walls, a roof and floor member extending from one side wall to the other and inclining downwardly from the end` wall at the charging end of the furnace to the other end of the Wall and vertically and longitudinally extending intermediate walls extending from end wall to end wall and `from the Hoor -member to the roof, each of which intermediatewalls provides a side wall for a carbonizing chamber, `said furnace being characterized by having sloping partitions in each carbonizing chamber extending from one walll of the chamber to the opposite wall and dividing each chamber into a series of vertically arranged carbonizing compartments, by having heating ue partitions between eachvertically extending main side wall on one hand and the adjacent intermediate wall on the other, and by having sets of sloping heating flue partitions, the partitions of each set extending from anintermediate wall of each of the adjacent carbonizing chamber, each of said intermediate walls constituting a side wall for a carbonizing chamber, trans ferring heat by conduction from sald lues to the interior of -said carbonizing chambers.

8. A briquet carbonizing furnace having carbonizing compartments or spaces inclined from the charging end of the lfurnace toward the discharging end and arranged one over the other so that the roof for one compartment or space becomes the floor of or for thecompartment or `space immediately carbonizing chamber to an intermediate wall above, the construction being such that the side walls which delineate the sides of said compartments or spaces merge into or become a continuation of each other, means for supplying heat which is transferred by conduction through said side walls to the interior of said compartments, and means for `collecting' or withdrawing gases driven off during a carbonizing of briquets within said compartments.

9. A carbonizing furnace having a vertically and transversely extending end wall at the charging and discharging ends thereof, longitudinally and vertically extending main side walls, a roof member and a main floor member sloping downwardly toward the dischar ing end of the furnace, a recuperator in the ower portion,of the furnace structure and carbonizing chambers in the upper ortion of the furnace structure separate by said main floor member, spaced intermediate walls extending from the base of the furnace structure vertically toward the main fioor member to provide a s eries of alternating lair and'waste gas ducts, partitions connecting said intermediate walls and spaced from each other and arranged to form sinuous air ducts, partitions connecting the walls, between which there are waste gas ducts and arranged so as to define sinuous passageways for waste gases, airs of longitudinall and vertically extending intermedia-te wal s extending from the main floor member to the roof and from end Wall to end wall to define the sides of said carbonizing chambers, transversely extending shelves for separating a carbonizing chamber into carbonizing compartments one above the other,fcombus tion fiue partitions connecting the intermediate wall of one pair with the intermediate wall of an adjacent pair and connecting the intermediate wall of one pair with a side Wall adjacent thereto to define with the rest of the masonryl structure a series of combustion flues arranged along each intermediate wall which defines in part a carbonizing chamber, passageways for con- -ducting waste gases from the said combustion ues to the entrance of said waste .gas ducts, a header passageway into which the air. ducts discharge, andconduits or passageways extending from said header passageway to the entrance end of the combustion fiues.

l0. A carbonizing furnace having a vertically and transversely extending wall at each end thereof, longitudinally and vertically extending main side walls, a roof and a main oor member sloping downwardly towardv the discharging end of the furnace, a recuperator in the lower portion ofthe furnace structure and carbonizing chambers in the upper portions of the furnace structure separated by said main floor member, vertically arranged intermediate walls extending from the base portion o f the furnace structure upwardly to the main floor member andprovidingalternating air ducts and waste gas ducts, partitions connecting and the intermediate wall of one set withl theadjacent main side wall to define with the rest of the masonry structure combustion fiues or chambers arranged along the intermediate side walls which define in part the carbonizing chambers, passageways for conducting the waste gases from said iues to the entrance end of said waste gas ducts, and Valve controlled passageways or ducts leading from the delivery end of the air ducts to the entrance end of the combustion flues or chambers.

11. A carbonizing furnace having a vertically and transversely extending end wall at the charging and discharging end thereof, longitudinally and vertically extending main side walls, a roof and a main floor member sloping downwardly toward the discharge end of the furnace, a recuperator in the lower portion of the furnace structure, carbonizing chambers in the upper portion of the furnace structures, which recuperator and carbonizing chambers are separated by said floor member, intermediate walls extending vertically from the base of the furnace, and providing alternating air and waste gas ducts, partitions defining sinuous passageways for the air passin mwardly through the recuperator and or the waste gas passing outwardly through the recuperator, longltudinally and vertically extending intermediate walls arranged in pairs and extending from the mainioor member to the roof and from one end wall to the other and defining with the rest of the furnace structure said car# bonizing'chambers, transversely extending shelves for separating a carbonizing chamber into vertically arranged carbonizing compartments, pa'rtitions connectin the intermediate wall of one pair with t e interheader passageway to the entrance of the combustlonfiues, and means for supplying fuel to the interior of said combustion lues.

12. In a briquet carbonizing furnace of 5 the kind described, a plurality of superposed inclined carbonizing shelves, side Walls for and common to said shelves, means for retaining a charge of briquets Within the c0mpartments defined by sald walls and inclined 10 shelves, and meansy for heating said com- CHARLES HOWARD SMITH.

Signed in the presence of EDWARD C. BAILLY, EDWIN A.- PACKARD. 

